Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-11-30
AN INDIAN Feast
The Green Corn stamp Dance -
Tulsa, l. T.

Luo - reGu toru stamp JAM -
TuI-s. l. T.
This festival is n religious rite and "a
far from being what is generally sup
posed an ordinary dance. IL usually
continues for four days aud the ground
On which IL is held Is consecrated TO the
service for which 10 Is used By being
cleared Of al distractions ana laid of
into different rings or places for the
dances. \ post is planted in the CEN
ter of one Of these rings and fire Is
kindled near the post, and around this
post and fire, the company, composed Of
men. women and children, dance 20 the
music OF 4 peculiar Kind of drum,
which Is accompanied by the singing
and shouting Of the dancers
The first day is occupied IN felstIng
and the night is taken up with dance.
The second day Is used as a fast, in
which they take no food and the night
is spent without sleep, the dance con-
tinuinE all night On the third day,
about noon, they partake OF what is
known rs the bitter medicine - COM
posed Of some wild herb known only TO
certain member OF the tribe, who at
tends TO the preparation with religious
zeal and great solemnity. The effect of
this bitter medicine is very powerful III
the way Of stirring up the inward or
ganlZatiOn OF the person taking 1t, pro-
duciug violent vomiting, and IS intend
ed as a cleansing power. In case the
medicine does not act sufficiently long
feather. usually from the wing Of an
eagle or other large bird having feathers
OF proper length IS taken, and the
feather edge trimmed off, except a
small bunch Of the point. This the
person that has not been sufficiently
sleaused inserts into his mouth and
down into the stomach, giving it pc
culIar tickling twist, and by repeating
this operation and laying himself over a
log. face downward, he finally is re-
heYed of the contents of the stomach,
and arising he pIonOunces himself in |
ternally Cleansed. After thoroughly |
satisfying themselves that there Is moth |
ing left in them, the whole number of |
those who have taken the cleansing pro- |
cess repair to the river, where they all |
stand in the water, and at given signal
from the leader they dive under four
times, and thus they claim the outside
is cleansed also.
Then they dry themselves in the sun,
aud each one securing an arm load of
wood, returns To the dancing ground
and rebuilding the fire with the wood
they have brought, and sweeping the
ground perfectly clean, they renew the
dance until the fourth day, when they
break up and return to their homes.
These grounds are selected and estab-
Iished with great care by the elder
members of the tribe, one of whom is
leader. and one who holds his Office
during life, and at his death the office b
ltescendS 10 some other one, also
of the same family, thus imi- q
ating the perpetual priesthood of the a
Jewish people. b
The grounds Of this place were e-tab- 4
ished about forty years ago, and the D
lshes which made the place sacred were !,
bought from a similar dancing ground q
n the state Of Alabama at the time, IL
md are buried here, where a new fire II
,uilt every wear, and the fire Is carried
O their homes and kept burning all the =
utire year. Thus the same fire that IL
,uruS upon the main altar is to be kept {,
turning in the home of each individual Z,
nd Is intended 10 remind them CON p
tantiy of the sacred obligation that ou
hey are under in this respect. "
During these festivities the most "a
erfect order prevails ip camp, and any IN
hing of contrary L. ure Is promptly tlC
lat the ground whereOn they stand is ui
oily ground, nc
The dance is veSy peculiar, and in 81
lany respects is less Objectionable in its d
satures than our more modern dances. a
ZACH individual operates independent
any one else. There is no choosing
1rtners and no Irritation between the
eNes, and anything of that kind would 4
u considered a gross insult, and would c,
meet with strong resentment, II not 81
cry prompt punishment. The COS is
umes of many, especially the women, b
IRE very gaudy. and are composed c
argely of fancy ribbons and feathers. Z
Due was very conspicuous in this re- p
'pect, having 4 beautiful head dress of -
ribbons, reaching, from head to foot
and representing the colOrs of the rain
bow. C
These people are not barbarian, as +,
might be supposed, but they were the q
civilized dress. and only add these fancy !
ornaments as others ornament them ,
selves. ,
The Creeks extend friendly invita- ,
tion To the other tribes to join them III
this festival, and many of their neigh
bOrs avail themselves Of the hospitality
thus offered.
The ShawLeeS living within reach al
ways attend, and il is thought that they
excel in the matter of dancing, many
of the women being peculiarly graceful
IN their movements.
|